The sloth bear is relatively small, with long hair and
shaggy coat. The bear is often black, but reddish animals have been seen. The
nostrils of the muzzle can be closed at will, possibly as an adaptation to the
defenses of the termites which make up a large portion of their diet.
Their dark fur is often interspersed with
whitish or greyish strands, and they display a noticable whiteish or
cream-colored U shaped patch on their chest. Behind their heads, they have a
mane, a ruff of fur that covers their neck and part of their shoulders. Their
belly and underlegs are nearly bare. The sloth bear's ears are large and
floppy; they have very good hearing. The claws of the sloth bear are
sickle-shaped, and deeply curved.

The sloth bear is unique among bears as it has only 40 adult teeth. The cubs have
42 while nursing. The two middle, upper incisors do not grow in with the rest of the
permanent teeth. The dirt that the bears ingest with their food often leads to bad
teeth, as it grinds away the enamel. When feeding, the bears make loud, sucking
sounds which can be heard for many miles.

Sloth bear adults can weigh anywhere from 120-310 pounds
and measure anywhere from 60-75 inches in length. The males are larger than the
females.

Sloth bears are found in the forested areas and grasslands of India and Sri
Lanka. However, the bears have also been witnessed in Nepal, Bangladesh, and
Bhutan.

Sloth bears live a solitary existance, except when raising young or mating. The
bears have a number of vocalizations, but their purpose is not understood.

Reproduction for the sloth bears is a fairly standard affar. The animals breed
in late Spring/early Summer, with the cubs being born six to seven months later.
Like other bears, the litters are small, consisting of only a cub or two. Very
rarely, sloth bears have been reported as having three. The cubs stay in their
mother's earth den for the first two to three months, they will continue to stay
with their mother through their adolescence, which lasts approximately 2 years.